1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to firearms having reciprocating cartridge handling elements such as slides or bolts and which are manually or automatically operated for feeding cartridges from a magazine to the cartridge chamber of a firearm barrel and for extracting and ejecting the cases of spent cartridges. More specifically, the present invention finds application in semi-automatic handguns of the general character of the standard United States Government model 1911 A1 handgun. Even more particularly, the present invention has effective application in semi-automatic handguns of the type having a gas energized, spring returned reciprocating slide which feeds cartridges from a cartridge magazine into the cartridge chamber of the handgun barrel during its forward or returned movement and which extracts and ejects the cartridge cases of spent cartridges from the cartridge chamber of the handgun barrel during its rearward or recoil movement. Even more particularly, the present invention concerns a reciprocating handgun slide or bolt of a semi-automatic handgun or other firearm, wherein the slide or bolt defines a breech face seat recess and wherein a replaceable breech face element is retained within the breech face seat recess to adapt the slide or bolt for a cartridge of desired caliber and configuration and to enable a user of the firearm to simply and efficiently replace a worn breech face without necessitating replacement or repair of the slide or bolt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Though the present invention is discussed herein particularly as it relates to handguns which incorporate features and functional components based on the 1911 A1 Government Model handgun, it is to be understood that such discussion is intended solely to promote an understanding of this invention. Within the spirit and scope of the present invention it is to be appreciated that the present invention has application in many other types of firearms, including shoulder fired firearms, machine guns, handguns and firearms with bolts or slides that are manually or automatically operated for cycling cartridges from magazines into the firearm and for extracting and ejecting the cartridge cases of expended cartridges. The term xe2x80x9cslidexe2x80x9d as used herein is intended to mean any device that is utilized to move a cartridge or shell from a magazine into the cartridge chamber of a firearm barrel and to extract spent cartridge cases or shell hulls from the cartridge chamber and includes the slides of handguns, the bolts of rifles, machine guns whether of automatic or manual operation.
The 1911 A1 Government Model handgun has been widely manufactured for many years, particularly for military and police use as well as for personal use and early on was historically adapted only for a .45 caliber ACP cartridge. The single cartridge aspect of the Government Model 1911 A1 handgun has been accomplished over the years simply by machining the slide of the handgun internally to define a breech face that is adapted specifically for the .45 caliber ACP cartridge. Subsequently, the Government Model 1911 A1 type handgun has been adapted for cartridges of many other calibers and configurations by machining the slide of the handgun with a breech face that is designed for handling a cartridge of the particular caliber and configuration that is intended to be handled by the handgun mechanism. Thus, a manufacturer intending to provide the Government Model 1911 A1 type handgun in the various varieties for handling the significant number of cartridges that are presently available, is required to maintain a wide variety of cartridge specific handgun slides to maintain customer satisfaction. Obviously, maintenance of a significant inventory of cartridge specific firearm slides is an expensive proposition that adversely affects the commercial aspects of the firearm business.
It is well known that the Government Model 1911 A1 type handgun lends itself readily to changes of ammunition, typically by changing out barrels, slides and other components. Thus, if a user of a handgun should desire to alter the handgun for utilization of different cartridges or calibers it would be necessary to change out the barrel and to replace the slide of the handgun with a slide that had been machined for that particular cartridge. Since the slide of this type of handgun is one of the more expensive components of the handgun, conversion of a handgun in this manner is sufficiently expensive that it is seldom done. Additionally, to provide for handgun conversion by customers, it is desirable that manufacturers maintain a significant inventory of cartridge specific handgun slides as well as barrels and other conversion components for the range of cartridges and calibers that might be desired by handgun users. Maintaining such an inventory by persons or companies involved in handgun conversion is a relatively expensive proposition due to the wide variety of cartridges that have become available for employment in the basic Government Model 1911 A1 semi-automatic handgun and those hybrid varieties that have been developed utilizing the basic concept of operation that is employed by that particular handgun.
Typically. Government Model 1911 A1 semi-automatic handguns have a rather loose fit of mechanical components to provide for reliability when subjected to use in field conditions. In the field, particularly for military use, the mechanical components of the Government Model 1911 A1 are subjected to water, mud, dirt, dust, and other contaminants that are typically present. Because of the loose fit of its components this type of handgun typically has limitations from the standpoint of accuracy. Recently, however, the basic Government Model 1911 A1 semi-automatic handgun has found wide application in shooting match conditions where greater accuracy is required as compared to the range of accuracy that is typically available in the Government Model handgun. To gain such accuracy the various components of the handgun, which typically are machined to conditions of wide tolerance to accommodate the hazards of field conditions, are hand fitted and honed or otherwise prepared for the tight fit of components that are necessary to promote accuracy of shooting in both slow fire and rapid fire match conditions. Since match grade handguns are typically utilized under controlled conditions and are maintained clean and free of debris and other contaminations and well lubricated at all times, tight fitting handgun mechanisms are the rule rather than the exception for use in match conditions.
When a slide action handgun is utilized, such as the Government Model 1911 A1 semi-automatic handgun, the machined breech face of the slide is subject to significant impact as the rear or rim of the cartridge is driven against the breech face by the high pressure gas that is present in the cartridge when the gunpowder is ignited by the primer of the cartridge. The impact force of the cartridge against the breech face can be in the order of 10,000 psi or greater depending on the character of the cartridge that is fired. Although a handgun slide of this nature is typically hardened during its manufacture to withstand damage by such impact forces, nevertheless, under match conditions, where high volume firing typically occurs, the repetitive impacts of cartridge cases against the breech face will, in time, cause deformation and wear of the slide. This wear, of course, will adversely affect the accuracy of the handgun so that, in time, the user will be required to replace the slide with a new one. At this time it will also be appropriate to replace or refit the barrel of the handgun with the replacement slide because the accuracy of the resulting slide replacement will often result in handgun inaccuracy unless a proper fit is established between the barrel and replacement slide. Other handgun components will also need replacement when the slide is replaced so that the resulting repair will establish a proper fit between mechanical components that is necessary for match grade accuracy. Thus, replacement of the slide in a match grade handgun can amount to substantial reconstruction of the handgun. This is a very expensive procedure both from the standpoint of material and labor. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a handgun slide that can be readily repaired when its breech face has become worn and to do so without requiring replacement of the barrel, guide bushings, or other components that influence the accuracy of the handgun.
It is a principal feature of the present invention to provide a novel handgun mechanism having a slide that may be repaired simply and efficiently and at low cost without necessitating replacement of the slide;
It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a novel semi-automatic handgun mechanism having a slide that is adapted to receive a replaceable breech face to enable the breech face of the slide to be repaired without necessitating machining or replacements of other slide components;
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a novel semi-automatic handgun mechanism having a slide that is machined with a breech face recess so that a replacement breech face element may be secured within the breech face recess by screws or by other suitable means to enable simple and efficient repair of the handgun slide;
It is an even further feature of the present invention to provide a novel semi-automatic handgun mechanism which incorporates a reciprocating slide which is adapted for breech face replacement to thereby enable the slide to be simply and efficiently repaired or modified for a different cartridge without requiring slide replacement or replacement of any of the handgun components that contribute to the accuracy of shooting.
Briefly, the various objects and features of the present invention are realized by providing firearms, such as a handguns, rifles, machine guns or the like having reciprocating slides or bolts that are manually or automatically operated for cycling cartridges from magazines into the firearms and for extracting and ejecting the cartridge cases of expended cartridges. The slides or bolts of the firearms will be machined or otherwise formed to define a breech face recess. A replaceable breech face element will be removably secured within the breech face recess by means of one or more connector screws or by any other suitable connector means. In the event the replaceable breech face of a slide or bolt of a firearm should become worn, the user will extract the connector screws and replace the worn or damaged breech face element with a new one. It will not be necessary to replace, repair or refit any of the other mechanical components of the firearm and the breech face replacement operation will not influence the accuracy of the firearm.